Dove summer glow - a temporary solution to fluorescent white skin (Dove Summer Glow Body Lotion)

Member Name: MarieHHH

Product:	Dove Summer Glow Body Lotion
Date:	19/06/09 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap, doesn't last long if you don't like it, nice subtle tan

Disadvantages: doesn't last long, takes ages to dry

There are many things about myself I like: my blue eyes for example, or the fact my legs are quite long. However, my fluorescent white skin, of a tone of white so shocking you could be forgiven for thinking I would glow in the dark, does not fall into that category. Instead, it has its own niche in a category called 'very unfortunate characteristics.' So when my now husband proposed, my first thought was naturally 'oh yes!' followed at alarming speed by 'oh my god I have to wear a white dress... I'm going to be one-tone all over...'

Hence began my quest for a fake tan suitable for my ghost-like skin...

Dove Sun Glow was advertised on the tube and I liked the fact it was sold as a 'moisturiser' rather than an outright fake tan - it somehow sounded less intimidating as I was terrified of ending up orange. I purchased a bottle from Boots for around £4 and set about putting it to the test.

First Impressions
It looked like a normal moisturiser and the smell was slightly sweet and generally, well, moisturiser like. After a shower in which I washed the soap I used off well (heeding internet advise warning about soap residues altering tans) I dried myself off and applied it all over, then stood waiting for it to dry. And I waited, and waited, and waited. Then I jumped around a bit, hoping the air movement would help it dry. It didn't. I waited a bit longer. After around half an hour I concluded that the slightly 'tacky' wet feeling wasn't going to improve so got dressed.

Day 1
I still looked roughly the same A4 paper white colour. I repeated the previous days proceedings but put on a DVD to watch while waiting for it to dry.

Day 2
Looked in the mirror and I definitely didn't glow in the dark anymore... in fact I did feel slightly 'glowy'. My sister noted how well I looked. Reapplied again.

Day 3
Put on a cream summer dress and looked healthy and sun-kissed - not brown, but definitely slightly tanned and just as importantly most certainly not orange. Hopped on a train to meet my other half and his face at the station was a picture... I think his greeting was something outstandingly romantic like 'why aren't you bright red if you've been in the sun?'!

By day 3 I'd reached the kind of 'no longer white' skin I'd hoped for so I stopped using it. By day 5 my skin looked white again so I restarted.

Overall Opinion
I was satisfied with dove sun glow and did use it for my wedding, where it gave me a nice light tan and didn't rub off on my white dress or make me look orange in photos. However, I would not use it regularly as it requires too much effort - it takes a long time to dry and isn't long lasting (which was part of its initial appeal - if you don't like what it does to you, you don't have to put up with it for long.) The smell might also be unappealing to some. An unexpected benefit was the fact it did leave my skin softer too. In my opinion it's a good product for someone who wants an occasional subtle tan, but probably not for an ongoing one.

Summary: a good product for someone who wants an occasional subtle tan